The Rise of Amon
by Digidestined of Trust
Summary: This story follows the early lives of Amon and his rise to power with the loyal general, Maron, whom trained to use Chi-Blocking under Ty-Lee. Mai and Ty-Lee seek to figure out the reasons of Maron's attitude


A/N: A huge thanks to my good friend Sarah for helping with edits!

**Rise of Amon**

**Chapter 1: The Concerned Chi-Master**

Ty Lee, who still preferred to walk on her hands, made her way down the halls of the palace, down the steps and into the Fire Lord and Fire Lady's dwellings.

"Hey Mai! I let myself in, hope you don't mind!" she called cheerily.

The Fire Nation queen, who was combing her hair, stopped momentarily and smiled, seeing her friend in the mirror.

"Well, if it isn't my flexible friend." she droned, "How is the Kyoshi chi-school coming?"

"It's going great!" Ty Lee exclaimed, but then hung her head down and added worriedly, "However, there is this one student of mine."

Mai turned her head slightly as she continued combing her dark hair into place, "Oh? Let me guess, another one with a complicated past like all your other students."

"Exactly, but there's something about his aura, it's very... different. I mean, it would be much simpler if I understood what his motives were for wanting to be my student. I accepted him at first because I knew that his parents had been killed and he needed a place to stay. I've treated him like I do my own children."

"So what's the problem?"

"He's always so distant! Always keeps to himself, but when he does talk, he always asks questions like, 'If you're a non-bender, why do you still associate yourself with the Fire Nation', and when I tell stories of the past, he wonders why I would ally myself with Azula."

Mai raised an eyebrow, "Tough questions."

"They are! And I don't know what to do!"

"So you came to me. Why do you think I could help, Ty Lee?"

"Because! You're just like him, I thought you might be able to give me some advice!"

Mai stared in silence for a few minutes before speaking again, "You know I'm not good at this kind of stuff. You should talk to the Avatar."

Ty Lee frowned in response, "If _I_ can't find out what's wrong, I don't think Aang would be able to find out, even if he _is_ the Avatar!

Mai considered her friend's response, and had to admit that Ty Lee was right. But what could she do? What advice could she give Ty Lee? She sighed, and in her soft, gravelly voice said, "Okay Ty Lee, let's go."

"_Let's_?" Ty Lee repeated, taken aback by the dark haired woman's response.

"Yes. Let's. I will help you out, but first there are some things we should do. I have a few ideas that I would like to try."

"What do you suggest we do?"

Mai gave Ty Lee one of her rare grins. "It's party time."

Question marks filled Tai Lee's mind as the two walked out. They reached the entrance to the courtyard of the palace, where four servants were already waiting to carry her and Mai, on the sedan chairs, to wherever they needed to go.

(Tai Lee's POV)

"Firelady, where shall we take you today?" One of the men asked.

Mai slowly waved him off, "No need for any of that."

"But miss! It's not proper for you to go anywhere on your feet, and...er, on your hands"

Grinning at the servants' words, I also watched as Mai kept her composure, something I'm sure Azula _never _would have done. Even Mai just gave a small smile and gently refused again, "While we appreciate the gesture, it won't be necessary. Tai Lee and I are going away for a while. Would you report to Zuko that we will be gone for a short time?"

_'Wow!" I thought, as I watched the exchange, 'Who knew that with all the gray aura that Mai __gives off, that she has a gentle spirit!'_

"Most certainly ma'am, if that is what you wish."

"It is. Also tell him that I will send word for him in a couple of days."

"I will" He said obediently, "Anything else?"

"Hmm," she thought aloud, then she looked down at me, "Tai Lee? Anything else?"

"Me?!" I chirped. She nodded and so I quickly thought of something, "Well, you've all been working hard, how about you go ahead and take a couple of days off!"

I kept back a giggle as I watched his and the rest of the servants' reactions, "Really?! Are...are you serious?" He looked to Ty Lee for confirmation, to make sure if she was fine with it.

"It's fine with me." She said monotonously, "Go right ahead and when I send word to my husband, I will tell him to bring you and your crew with him for a special occasion. That's an order."

Still hardly able to comprehend what was happening, he bowed anyways, "Yes ma'am!" The young man exclaimed courteously. "You heard the ladies! Let's go men!"

I thought it was funny that even after all that, they would still act so formal. I guess though after you've gotten used to such a continuous job tending to royalty such as Zuzu, that they can't help it. When the other servants finished bowing to us, and left, Mai looked back down at me, "Now that that's out of the way, let's get going."

(End of Ty Lee's POV)

"Mai, That was amazing!"

"What was?"

"What you did back there! I mean, it was really nice of you!"

"Yeah, well, I do it from time to time."

It didn't make any sense to Ty Lee, "You do? Since when?"

Mai sighed, "Look, you're not always around. I've been doing it for years now, though Zuko does it more often."

"But they seemed really shocked. They should have been over it by now, don't you think?"

"Maybe. I only do it from time to time, but I notice that it allows for tension to drop and morale in the palace to rise so things don't get heated and out of control later on. It's important to trust and support those under you and they'll trust and support you back."

"I guess I see what you mean Mai." Happy with the answer given. "So, where are we headed?"

"First to the lair outside the castle of course."

"Ohhh! Where Raj is, right?"

"That's correct." Mai stopped and motioned at Ty Lee, "Now, stand completely still. No sudden movements."

Ty Lee obeyed and stood up straight. Everything was so quiet outside of the palace. Only the exotic sounds of wildlife could be heard echoing through the forest that resided behind the castle. Ty Lee listened as she heard the calm sound of the waves splashing up the fire nation shores, the humming buzzes of nearby literal Dragon Flies, the occasional iguana parrot flying past and the sound of a nest of numerous Fire Hawks, each creating a unique rhythmic pattern. All those sounds of nature, not even trying at all to make such soothing and calming movements. If she hadn't been soothed enough already, it gave her even more peace and tranquility just watching and listening to it all, making her aura all the more pinker. She now realized why Mai would rather stay silent most of the time. It was so peaceful and she sort of envied it all. Kyoshi Island was nice, but she was usually indoors training and taking care of her children when Haru wasn't home. When she was out, the town would be hustling and bustling with much activity in the markets.

Then came a loud, shrill whistle. It was Mai, whom was giving a signal call. The whistle rang through the forest with a wonderful flow in completion with the other sounds of the forest and the nature inside and around it. Finally, what they had been waiting for, arrived with a sudden force of warm wind.

"Wow!" Ty Lee exclaimed finally as it came to a stop. Raj has gotten bigger than he was the last time." She noted as she studied the dragon's amazing features. She remembered when Zuko went on a 2 year journey along with Aang and Uncle Iroh to help try and restore some of what had been lost throughout those one hundred years of war, the dragons being among them. Iroh had heard legends of the survival of many exotic plants and animals that had presumably been destroyed.

"He sure has," Mai replied as she checked over the dragon, "You have to watch out sometimes though, he can be quite fierce, but at the same time, he's just a puppy on the inside."

"Kind of like you Mai!" Ty Lee cracked.

Mai stopped and gave her a look of fake annoyance, "Watch it!"

Ty Lee just smiled, a very contagious smile, before she and Mai finally started laughing. They laughed for a minute before they stopped. Then Mai motioned for Ty Lee to get on, "Let's get going. Hold on tight," she commanded, then tugged at Raj to go.

(Kyoshi Island)

Lu Ten tugged at his dad's robes, "Hey dad! What are we going to do here on Kyoshi Island?"

Zuko smiled warmly at his son, "We're going to visit your aunt."

"Wait, Aunt Azula is here?"

Lu Ten reminded Zuko a lot of himself when he was younger, curious and at the same time calm. "No, your other aunt, Ty Lee."

"Ty Lee is our aunt?" Zuko's bubbly daughter, Ursa asked, her words going a hundred miles a minute, he could hardly keep back a laugh, somehow she'd ended up with a personality like Ty Lee. A very unnatural trait for the family, seeing as how neither he nor Mai was nothing of the sort.

"Well, sort of. I guess you could say that, she's your half aunt."

The little nine year old girl started laughing uncontrollably at her fathers answer, while Lu Ten just smiled and replied, "Good one daddy!"

The Fire Lord chuckled, "Glad you both liked it son."

Still laughing, Ursa jumped up and down getting in front of him, "Daddy! You're so funny! Probably just as funny as Great Uncle!"

"Nuh uh!" Lu Ten argued, "Great Uncle Iroh is ten TIMES funnier than dad is."

Fire Lord Zuko pretended to be hurt, "Oh, is that so?"

"Oh, dad! I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

Zuko placed a hand on his sons' shoulder, "Calm down son, no need to get worked up."

"Worked up over what?" A familiar voice asked them from behind.

Both Lu Ten and Ursa's eyes lit up when they heard the voice and immediately rushed to him, "Great Uncle!" Each of them exclaimed happily.

Iroh greeted them with great pride and joy, "OH HOHOHO! Well, if it isn't my two favorite grandchildren!"

Very confused, Lu Ten backed a way an inch, "Wait a minute, grandchildren? Aren't you our Great Uncle."

"Of course I am, I just consider you my grandchildren just like I consider your father like my own son."

Zuko blushed furiously as the older man looked at him, "Thanks...Uncle." He replied shyly. "It's good to see you Uncle."

"As is you Prince...ah, I mean Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko shook his head, "Uncle, no need for that! It's just Zuko."

"Very well then," the former great general said softly, as he reached for a hug from his nephew.

The moment was just as suddenly ruined by the amazing quick talk of Ursa, "Uncle! Are you funnier than daddy is? Or is daddy just as funny?! Huh, huh huh? Because daddy called Mrs. Ty Lee our 'half aunt'!"

"You can't be serious!" Lu Ten complained, "That's the kind of joke Master Swordsman Sokka would say!"

Uncle Iroh stroked his beard and laughed, "Master Swordsman Sokka eh? If that's the case, then I'd say that he's funnier than the both of us. ^^"

Suddenly, a large crash from one of the nearby buildings rang through the area, and after that, several rounds of yelling, Iroh then gasped as he ran towards the building, "NO!"

(On Raj the Dragon- Mai's POV)

I could tell Ty Lee didn't travel on flying dragons very often, but nevertheless, she still seemed to be having the time of her life. She somehow gets used to everything so quickly. Not that I'm not used to flying, which I am, but I just don't do it often. Ty Lee was so aroused with everything we passed and saw, then again, she's like that all the time, always seeing something fascinating in everything. Sometimes, I do envy her expressive nature, I wish I could do that more often, even when I'm around Zuko. The more I thought about that, the more engrossed in my thoughts I became. The silence must have lasted for hours with me hardly paying attention, that is, until Ty Lee broke me out of my daze, "Mai? Can you hear me?" Her voice escalating, "Mai?!"

"Huh? Oh, what is it now?"

"I asked you a question, why did you decide to come with me?"

The answer was simple, yet, not so simple, "Because...you're family."

"Wow! Really?! What do you mean Mai?"

"You've always been family, at least to me anyways. I've always thought you to be my sister, and even as Azula and Zuko to be more family than I used to admit. You know how it was, my parents never attended to me much and always forced me into the background. You three were all I ever had. I knew Azula was wrong in what she did, but I joined her because of our past bonds and I helping a friend with a task was more important than my parent's political career."

Ty Lee's eyes brightened in understanding, "Ohhhh! I see now! I guess that's why I kind of joined Azula too!"

"Yep. That vacation on Ember Island opened my eyes a little bit, more than I had wanted to admit at the time. It made me realize how much I really loved Zuko more than I did fighting and who I considered my true family. I hated so much before that, when Zuko would always worry about me, and keep trying to protect me, always doing the little things that I thought I hated at the time. Really though, it was because I didn't know how to be so close to someone like that. Then Zuko in his rant towards me later, about wishing that I would be more open, more expressive, laughing and smiling more often, and more talkative, I realized that it hurt him far more when I broke up with him for always wanting to be more closer to me."

"You were scared, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah. But, it scared me even more when I found out we'd be apart for so long after he left to join the Avatar. He didn't want to break up with me, but wanted me to be in a safe position. (Flashback)

"I'm sorry Mai," She heard Zuko say solemnly before closing the flap on the prison door, leaving her and the guard imprisoned in the cell.

"NO! ZUKO!" She called out to him, but it was too late, "Zuko." She whispered.

The prison guard began pacing nervously, "This can't be happening, we're trapped. I'll never see my family again now! This war was such a bad idea!" He kept saying this over and over again until Mai finally hit him over the head.

"Would you just be quiet already? You're giving me a headache."

"I'm sorry your highness, but I'm scared I'll never see my family again. I made a mistake in working here, not that I had any choice in the first place."

"A mistake, what do you mean?"

"Your boyfriend, he's...he's Prince Zuko, isn't he?"

"Former prince." She replied simply, "What of it?"

"This war...it's done nothing but divide nations, oppress people, and now it's dividing families too! This was supposed to be my last month of working here, but now I'm stuck! I haven't seen my family in five years. My little girl, my son, both of them have had to grow up without a father. This war was started to conquer nations, but as the Fire Nation started conquering, its citizens began to suffer as well! Trapped in their ideals, and many declared traitors for wanting to live a peaceable life. Those other nations, they love their families as well. Theirs is different though. Those soldiers are fighting to protect the ones they love and their loved ones are proud of them. They are free, but we've become trapped. It shows in each prisoner that we have taken in. Tell me, do you enjoy doing everything Princess Azula tells you to do?"

"She's my friend."

"Is she? I heard she's ruthless, but I fear the wrath of both she and the firelord, so I do what they say. I don't like it, but I'm scared of them!"

"Are you saying I'm scared of Azula?"

"That's only something you can answer miss."

Mai hung her head. That look Zuko had given her, it hurt him more than it did her. It was obvious he didn't want anymore lives to suffer because of the FireLord, and neither did she. "He wants to protect me," She whispered as she continued to mull over her thoughts. _'With Azula, it's always been about her and her striving for her power. Zuko loves me, she doesn't care about me. He's only wanted me to be safe, the best for me. He's choosing to fight for lives, not for power like Azula. All this pain, suffering and hate has come because of the Fire Nation, and I've helped this cause! It's my fault! He didn't hurt me, I've hurt him!"_

Ty Lee placed a hand on my shoulder and started talking, "It's my fault too, but the important thing is that we realized the right way was peace and not world domination and that preserving family was important. Zuko realized that the importance of keeping family and friends close together, after all, he was one of the ones most affected, right?"

"All of us were, we all were, but now, we have the chance to fix and avoid some of the mistakes made in the past. That's why I'm coming with you for support. It's not just friendship anymore, we're family."

(Kyoshi Island)

As the other villagers opened their doors to inspect the noise, Zuko and his children ran after Iroh. When he reached the place, he slammed open the door to where it was coming from, and discovered a young boy, around fourteen, going at it in a fit of rage. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" Iroh roared. At seventy five, the old general was still as fit as he was when he took over Ba-Sing-Se, both times, despite the fact that he always looked like an overweight old man.

The other kids inside ran to him for shelter, the oldest one at 13 years old spoke up, "It's Maron! He's gone mad! He chi-blocked Maru's earthbending for no reason and then started knocking and kicking things off of shelves.

"Everyone outside!" He commanded, "I'll handle this."

Zuko offered his help, "Uncle, I'm coming with you!"

"No! I must do this alone!"

"But uncle..."

"GO! Now!" He commanded his nephew before entering into the house.

Zuko sighed as he went to comfort the other children, "Good luck uncle, good luck."


End file.
